Stylus actuator



July 25, 1967 G. H. KALLEN ET AL' 3,333,273

STYLUS ACTUATOR Filed MayG, 1965 2 Shec's-Sheet '1 George H. Kaller Richdrd R-Wilson,

INVENTORS. 7

. %-&

60love a; Kleinberg,

ATTORNEYS.

July 25, 1967 G.VH. KALLEN ET AL v 3,333,273

STYLUS ACTUATOR Filed May 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,333,273 STYLUS ACTUATOR George Harold Kallen, 809 Clemensen, Santa Ana, Calif. 92701, and Richard Parrent Wilson, 2719 Via Arboleda, San Clemente, Calif. 92672 Filed May 3, 1965, Ser. No. 452,544 6 Claims. (Cl. 346-29) The present invention relates to graphic recorders and more particularly to an improved recording element support assembly selectively actuable into recording and nonrecording alternative positions.

In graphic recorders of the prior art, the recording element is usually mounted on a substantial bar or flanged rail member that is parallel to one of the record axes. The recording element is then moved axially, along the rail member to achieve displacement with respect to that axis. If the recorder is of the type conventionally known as the X-Y recorder, then the rail member is also adapted to be moved in an orthogonal direction, so that the recording element can make a record corresponding to displacements at right angles to the axis of the rail member. The recording element, be it a stylus, or a device adapted to make an ink mark is usually mounted on a carriage assembly which is transported by the moving rail member.

The carriage member, in prior art devices, may be cabled for axial motion with respect to the rail member. The carriage member usually has a plurality of wheels, having ball bearings which ride on the flanges of the rail to reduce possible friction of the carriage with respect to the rail member. It is important that friction be kept to a minimum because of the need for rapid slewing and, in certain applications, the need for high speed axial mo-. tion along the rail, to record the displacement of a variable with respect to either time or a second variable.

Carriage assemblies of the prior art have tended to be rather heavy and cumbersome because of the need to provide a smooth, sliding or rolling action along the rail and, accordingly such carriage assemblies have been made heavy for stability and therefore had considerable inertia. In addition, the rail members, too, have been rather massive to provide stable and accurate motion of the carriage assembly.

Therefore, recorders of the prior art have used a cover element to enclose and conceal the operating details of the carriage mechanism and rail assembly.

The cover has also been used to control the raising and lowering of the recording element to and from the web or graph paper record, upon which the trace is to be drawn. This has been accomplished by providing a solenoid or other device which rocks or tilts the carriage cover. The carriage cover in turn, is arranged to engage the stylus or pen mechanism so that the cover, when rocked, raises or lowers the record making device.

In many modern, high speed applications, there has been a need both to simplify the carriage assembly and to simplify the track upon which it travels. Such a simplification would reduce the inertia of the system, thereby permitting an increase in slewing speed, and would reduce the complexity of the component parts, enabling a reduction of the cost of materials and fabrication.

According to the present invention, a pair of cylindrical rods are provided upon which the carriage rides. A first rod is fixedly mounted to a pair of end members. The second rod is mounted in axial parallelism with the first rod and is supported away from the first rail member by the end members. The end members permit rotation of the second rodabout the axis of the first rod.

' A carriage assembly is mounted upon the rods and is free to slide along both rods in the axial direction. Also, the carriage is so mounted on the first rod that it is rotatable about the axis of the first rod. By suitable choice of materials, the carriage assembly can bear directly on the rods without the need for intervening bearings or other assemblies to facilitate axial movement of the carriage.

In the preferred embodiment of an X-Y recorder according to the present invention, a pair of trucks are mounted to ride along opposite edges of the table which defines the recording surfaces upon which the web is placed. The first rod is then affixed to the trucks which are positioned to move in a direction orthogonal to the travel of the carriage on the rods. By suitable motion of the trucks to represent displacement along one axis and of the carriage to represent displacement along the orthogonal axis, a suitable record can be made.

A bail is provided along one edge of the table and is positioned to be under one of the end members of the rod mounting assembly. A lifting plate is fastened to the end member beneath the second rod and is arranged to be engaged by the bail.

A remotely located solenoid assembly has a linkage which is connected to the bail for raising and lowering the bail from the plane of the table.

In the preferred embodiment, a spring bias is provided to maintain the bail normally away from the web and table and in this position, the second rod is cammed up- Ward and partially rotated about the axis of the first rod. The carriage assembly is irrotationally mounted on the rodsand therefore is also rotated away from the surface of the web.

The solenoid, when energized is in its second or recording position, and the bail is held down against the surface of the table. A bias spring urges the second rod to follow the bail downward and the second rod and carriage assembly rotate toward the plane of the table until the recording element contacts the web.

In alternative embodiments, other mechanical or electro mechanical arrangements may be used to rotate or rock the entire carriage mechanism through a limited arc of motion, whereby the recording element carried thereby is either in or out of contact with the record member. Further, other rails other than cylindrical rods could be used in conjunction with the present invention, so long as suitable mounting bushings, were provided for the carriage and end pieces so that limited rotational movement around the axis of the first rod could be imparted to the second rod.

As an additional feature of the present invention, the carriage assembly is provided with a universal mounting so that alternative recording devices may be used in conjunction with the graphic recorder- For example, a fountain pen assembly can be remova'bly fastened to the carriage mechanism and may be easily replaced by a ball point recording mechanism, a special symbol printer, or by alternative recording devices, such as styli for spark or scratch recording.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for activating the recording mechanism of a graphic recorder.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improved carriage mechanism for a graphic recorder of light weight and low inertia.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an improved carriage structure for a graphic recorder utilizing a pair of cylindrical rods upon which the carriage slides.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved pen activating mechanism that rocks the entire pen assembly and carriage into the writing configuration.

It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide a recording mechanism in combination with a light weight, low inertia carriage that is slidably mounted upon guide rods which rock the entire carriage mech- .3 anism to bring the pen into recording contact with a record member.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an improved carriage mechanism which is adapted for use with several alternative recording devices. It is yet an additional object of the invention to provide a low mass recording carriage mounted upon a pair of cylindrical rods, one of which rotates about the other to impart a rocking motion to a recording mechanism carried by the carriage.

It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide a simple pen activating element which includes a bail that rocks one of a pair of cylindrical rods upon which a carriage mechanism carrying a pen assembly is slidably mounted.

It is a further object of'the invention to provide an improved control for pen position which does not bear upon the pen itself.

It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved, light weight low inertia recording carriage which is slidably mounted upon a pair of longitudinal rods, one of which is free to rotate about the other thereby rocking the recording carriage to engage and disengage the recording element with a record member.

It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide a low mass, high speed pen positioning device which causes the entire carriage assembly to rock a pen in and out of contact with a record, thereby permitting intermittent operation of the marking device.

It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide a graphic recorder having a solenoid for controlling the making of a record by raising and lowering a ball which rocks a spring loaded carriage assembly upon which a recording element is mounted, into and out of recording contact with the record member.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following description considerd in connection wit-h the accompanying drawings in which several preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view, partly broken away, of a graphic recorder according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a portion of a recorder according to the present invention, omitting the pen assembly but showing, in greater detail, the carriage and travelling rod assemblies;

FIG. 3 is a side section view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3 in the direction of the appended arrows;

. FIG. 4 is an end view of a bail and rod assembly showing alternative operating positions; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an alternative recording element carrier adapted to mount on the carriage assembly of FIG. 1.

Turning to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a graphic recorder in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The recorder 10 is of the X-Y type in which the recording element is capable of being displaced in two, mutually orthogonal directions, referred to, for convenience as the X and Y axes. As seen in FIG. 1, the recorder 10 includes a table 12 upon which is mounted a web or paper guide 14. The paper guide 14 is arranged to be parallel to one of the axes.

A pair of supporting trucks 16, 18, are mounted to ride along opposite edges of the table 12 to provide displacement in the X direction. A driving assembly (not shown) imparts motion to the trucks 16, 18.

A first cylindrical rod 20 is mounted in a pair of rod end pieces 22, 24, at right angles to the travel path of 4 the trucks 16, 18, and is orthogonal to the paper guide 14. The first rod 20 is also anchored to the end tr-ucks 16, 18, .by an appropriate fastening element to flanges 26, 28, provided for that purpose.

A second cylindrical rod 30' is mounted parallel to the first rod 20 in the rod end pieces 22, 24. The second rod 30 is slightly longer than the first rod 20 and extends over rest tabs 32, 34, on the end trucks 16, 18. A leaf spring member 36 is mounted on either or both of the end trucks 16, 18 to provide a downward bias to the second rod 30, thus maintaining the second rod 30 in contact with the rest tabs 32, 34.

The second rod 30 is immovably mounted in the rod end pieces 22, 24, but the end pieces themselves, are free to rotate about the first rod 20. A lifting plate 38 is fastened to the underside of one of the rod end pieces 24, below the second rail 30. The lifting plate 38 extends from the end piece, toward the table edge. An activating bail 40 is placed along one side of the table 12, parallel to the path of travel of the end trucks 16, 18. The bail 40 is pivotably mounted from a pair of posts 42, 44, by a pair of mounting arms 46, 48.

A carriage assembly 50 is slidably mounted on the first and second rods 20, 30. The carriage assembly 50 includes a travelling carriage member 52 and the associated cable and sheave assemblies necessary to transport the carriage 52 in the axial direction relative to the first and second rods 20, 30, which may be considered the Y direction.

Removably mounted on the carriage 52 (and omitted from FIGS. 2 and 3) is a fountain pen assembly 54, which includes a fountain pen 56, a priming bulb 58, and an ink cartridge 60. A cover plate 62 is adapted to mount directly to the carriage 52 to protect the working parts of the pen assembly 54.

The carriage member 52 has a cylindrical opening 64 into which the first rail 20 is inserted and by means of which the carriage 52 can both slide and rotate along the first rod 20. Parallel to the cylindrical Opening 64, is a slot 66, adapted to fit over the second rod 30, enabling the carriage 52 to slide along the second rod 30. The length of the cylindrical opening 64 is sufficient to prevent any skew or yaw of the carriage 52 as it travels along the rods 20, 30 in the axial, Y direction. Further, the mass of the carriage 52 is sufficiently slight, so that by suitable choice of materials, the carriage 52 is substantially self-lubricating, in its travel along the rods 20, 30.

Although not essential to the understanding of the present invention, the carriage driving mechanism, partially shown in FIGS. 1-3, will be briefly described, although alternative forms of carriage driving mechanisms are Well known in the art. An inelastic cable 70- is fastened to the post 44 at one corner of the table 12. The cable 70 then goes to a first horizontal sheave 72 which is carried by one of the end trucks 18. The cable 70 is wrapped about a second horizontal sheave 74 which is mounted on the carriage 52 and runs back to the end truck 18 where it passes around a third horizontal sheave 76. The cable 70 is then turned by a vertical sheave 78 and travels to a Y drive drum assembly, (not shown) mounted beneath the table 12. The cable 70' continues from the Y drive drum assembly to a second vertical sheave 80 which is mounted on a post on the opposite side of the table 12, but at the same end as the first vertical sheave 78. The cable 70 continues around a fourth horizontal sheave 82 which is fastened on the end truck 16, and thence to a fifth horizontal sheave 84 which is mounted on the underside of the carriage 52 adjacent the second horizontal sheave 74. The cable is then turned around a sixth horizontal sheave 86 on the end truck 16, and then is permanently fastened to a second corner post, (not shown).

Rotation of the Y drive drum assembly in a first direction will simultaneously pull the carriage 52 from one side and while providing slack cable to the opposite side. Rotation of the Y drive in the opposite direction, will have the opposite efiect. Suitable servo motors and/or potentiometers are used to determine the amount of rotation of the drum assembly required to displace the carriage 52 to a position representing the desired value of Y.

As seen in FIGS. l-3, the trucks 16, 18 are supported by a three-wheel suspension, wherein a first, upper wheel 88, 90 is positioned to ride on the upper surface of the table 12 while a pair of lower wheels 92, 94, 26, 98, is positioned to ride on the opposite, under surface of the table 12. Each of the wheels contains a roller hearing assembly (not shown) to reduce rolling friction.

Turning next to FIG. 3, the mechanism which operates the bail 40 to rotate the carriage assembly 50 into the recording and non-recording positions is shown. As seen in FIG. 3, a solenoid 100 has a plunger member 102 upon which a spring 104 is mounted to maintain the plunger in the extended position when the solenoid 100 is de-energized. A linkage 106 extends through an aperture 108 in the table 12 and extends up to the bail 40. The linkage member is affixed to an aperture in the bail'40. Means, not shown, effect the connection of the bail 40 and the linkage 106.

FIG. 4 shows, by the use of a dotted view, the alternative positions of the bail 40' and the rod end piece 24 and rods 20, 30* with the solenoid 100 in the de-energized and energized states. Energizing the solenoid 100 to the writing mode pulls the plunger 102 down, away from the table 12. The linkage 106 pulls the bail 40 toward the surface of the table 12, against the bias of the spring 104. With the bail 40 in the down position, the second rod 30 moves toward the table 12, under the downward bias of the leaf spring 36. The second rod and the carriage 52 are both rotated or rocked toward the table 12, and the pen assembly, or other recording instrument, is brought into contact with a paper upon which a record is to be made which has been placed on the table 12.

When the solenoid 100 is de-energized, the plunger 102 is released and the solenoid spring 104 acts upon the plunger 102 and the linkage 106 to movethe bail 40 away from the table 12. The bail 40 engages the lifting plate 38, and rotates the end piece 24 away from the table 12. This upward motion of the second rod is transmitted to the opposite end piece22, and, against the bias of the leaf spring 36, both end pieces and the second rod rotate away from the table, thereby carrying the carriage 52, upward and lifting the recording device from the plane of the table 12.

In an alternative embodiment, intermittent symbol printing can be used. An alternative symbol printer 110 such as shown in FIG. 5 is required, which includes a cover plate 120 which is adapted to fit directly upon the carriage 52 in place of the fountain pen assembly 54 and a print carrier 122. In order to operate the symbol printer 110, the solenoid 100 is energized. The bail 40 and carriage assembly 52 operate as before, and With each energization of the solenoid 100', a symbol is printed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be adapted for use with a graphic recorder in which the recording element is not required to be displaced in mutually orthogonal directions. For example, moving chart recorders transport the web rather than the entire rod and carriage assembly and accordingly, the end trucks of the present invention could be replaced by corresponding end plates immovably fastened to the table. However, a substantially identical carriage assembly can be utilized with the pair of rods shown herein. In such a device, the bail 40 could be eliminated and the solenoid 100 could be connected directly to the lifting plate through a suitable linkage. Printing or marking is then effected, as before, by energizing the solenoid 100 which would then impart a rocking motion to the carriage assembly. In a first or recording position, a marking element would be in contact with the record web and in a second or non-recording position, the marking element would be held away from the record.

Other variations will appear to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What we claim as new is:

1. In a graphic recorder for making a record on an associated web, the recorder having a movable recording element, means for selectively engaging and disengaging the recording element with the web, said means comprising:

(a) rod means adapted to be positioned adjacent the web, including a first rod having an axis and a second rod having an axis, and rod mounting means for connecting said first and second rods in axial parallelism, said rod mounting means permitting limited rotation of one of said rods about the axis of the other of said rods;

(b) carriage means adapted to support the recording element at a predetermined distance from the web surface, said carriage means being slida'bly mounted on said rod means to have lateral motion in the axial direction, and rotational motion about said other rod axis;

(c) actuating means coupled to said rod means for alternatively rotating said carriage means to a first and second position.

2. In a graphic recorder for making a record on an associated web, the recorder having a movable recording element, means for selectively engaging and disengaging the recording element with the web, said means comprising:

(a) rod means adapted to be positioned adjacent the web, said rod means including a first rod having an axis, and a second rod having an axis;

(b) rod mounting means coupling said first and second rods in axial parallelism, said rod mounting means rotatably holding said first rod and irrotatably holding said second rod thereby permitting limited rotation of said second rod about said first rod axis;

(0) carriage means adapted to support the recording element at a predetermined distance'from the surface of the web, said carriage means being slidably mount-ed on said rod means for lateral motion in the axial direction and for limited rotation about said first rod axis; and

(d) actuating means coupled to said rod means for rotating said second rod to first and second positions with respect to said first rod, whereby said first position rotates said carriage means and asso ciated recording element into recording contact with the web and said second position rotates said carriage means and associated recording element out of recording contact with the web.

3. In a graphic recorder for making a record on an associated web, the recorder having a movable recording element, means for selectively engaging and disengaging the the recording element with the web, said means comprising:

(a) first rod means adapted to be positioned adjacent the web, said first rod means including a first cylindrical rod having an axis;

(-13) second rod means including a second cylindrical rod having an axis;

(c) rod mounting means coupling said first and second rods in axial parallelism, said rod mounting means permitting limited rotation of said second rod about said first rod axis;

((1) carriage means adapted to support the recording element at a predetermined distance from the web surface, said carriage means being slidably mounted on said first and second rods for lateral motion in the axial direction and for limited rotational motion about said first rod axis; and

(e) means for imparting limited motion to said second rod means in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said first and second rod axes, whereby said second rod and said carriage means are rotated about said first rod for engaging and disengaging the recording element and the web.

4. In a graphic recorder for producing a record on an associated web, the recorder having a movable pen apparatus, means for selectively raising and lowering the pen out of and into recording contact with the web, said means comprising:

(a) first carriage support means adapted to be positioned adjacent the web, including a first rod having an axis;

(-b) second carriage support means including a second rod having an axis;

(c) mounting means coupling said first and second rods in axial parallelism, said mounting means permitting limited rotation of said second rod about said first rod axis and including spring bias means for urging said second rod to rotate toward the web surface;

(d) pen carriage means adapted to support the pen at a predetermined distance from the web surface, said pen carriage means being slidably mounted on said first and second rods for lateral motion in the axial direction, and rotatably mounted on said first rod for limited rotation about said first rod axis; and

(e) selectively actuable energizing means to enable and disable recording mounted on the recorder and coupled to said mounting means, said energizing means having first and second alternative positions, said first position urging said mounting means to rotate said second rod means about said first rod axis against said bias means and away from the web surface, and said second position permitting said mounting means to rotate said second rod towards the web surface under the urging of said bias means whereby said energizing means first position rotationally displaces said carriage means and the pen out of contact with the web surface and said energizing means second position rotationally displaces said carriage means toward the web surface and the pen into recording contact with the web surface to produce a record theron.

5. In a graphic recorder of the XY type for making a record on an associated web, the recorder having a movable recording element and a table for supporting the web, means for selectively engaging and disengaging the recording element with the web, said means comprising:

(a)' first support means adapted to be positioned adjacent the web, including a first rod having an axis parallel to the X axis;

(b) second support means including a second rod having an axis parallel to the X axis;

(c) mounting means coupling said first and second support means to permit limited rotation of said second rod about said first rod and including bias means for urging said second rod toward the table;

(d) carriage means adapted to support the recording element at a predetermined distance from the table, said carriage means being slidably mounted on said first and second rods for motion in the Y direction and rotatably mounted on said first rod; and

(e) selectively actuable energizing means to enable and disable recording connected to the table and coupled to said mounting means, said energizing means having first and second alternative positions, respectively corresponding to non-recording and recording modes of operation, said energizing means first position urging said mounting means to rotate said second rod and said carriage means about said first rod axis, away from the table against said bias means and said energizing means second position permitting said bias means to urge mounting means to rotate said second rod and said carriage means towards the table, whereby actuating said energizing means to said first position rotationally displaces said carriage means away from the table by a greater than the predetermined distance, and actuating said energizing means to said second position rotationally displaces said carriage means toward the table by a distance sufficient to permit the recording element to reach the table for producing a record upon a web member positioned thereon. 6. In a graphic recorder for making a record in an associated record member web, the recorder having a movable pen and a writing table, means for selectively bringing the pen in and out of contact with the record member, said means comprising:

(a) a rod irrotationally mounted adjacent the table,

said first rod having an axis;

(b) a second rod having an axis;

(c) mounting means coupling said first and second rods in axial parallelism, said mounting means permitting limited rotation of said second rod about said first rod axis;

(d) carriage means adapted to support the pen at a predetermined distance from the table, said carriage means being slidably mounted on said first and second rods for lateral motion in the axial direction, and rotatably mounted on said first rod for limited rotation about said first rod axis;

(e) bias means mounted on said mounting means for rotationally urging said second rod toward the table; and

(f) selectively actuable energizing means for raising and lowering the pen, mounted on said table, including a bail member and solenoid means coupled to said bail member, said bail member being adapted to engage said mounting means for imparting rotational motion about said first rod axis thereto, said energizing means having a first and second position, respectively, corresponding to writing and non-writing modes, said first position urging said mounting means to rotate said second rod and said carriage means about said first rod means axis, and away from the table against the urging of said bias means and said second position permitting said bias means to rotate, said second rod and said carriage means about said first rod axis towards the table.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,340,279 1/1944 Wallace 346-141 X 2,424,118 7/ 1947 Rast 3468 2,694,615 11/1954 Clements 346l39 2,714,047 7/1955 Dehmel 346-8 2,806,758 9/1957 Butler et al 346139 X 2,885,255 5/1959 Pignone 34668 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. J. W. HARTARY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A GRAPHIC RECORDER FOR MAKING A RECORD ON AN ASSOCIATED WEB, THE RECORDER HAVING A MOVABLE RECORDING ELEMENT, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING THE RECORDING ELEMENT WITH THE WEB, SAID MEANS COMPRISING: (A) ROD MEANS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ADJACENT THE WEB, INCLUDING A FIRST ROD HAVING AN AXIS AND A SECOND ROD HAVING AN AXIS, AND ROD MOUNTING MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND RODS IN AXIAL PARALLELISM, SAID ROD MOUNTING MEANS PERMITTING LIMITED ROTATION OF ONE OF SAID RODS ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE OTHER OF SAID RODS; (B) CARRIAGE MEANS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE RECORDING ELEMENT AT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE WEB SURFACE, SAID CARRIAGE MEANS BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ROD MEANS TO HAVE LATERAL MOTION IN THE AXIAL DIRECTION, AND ROTATIONAL MOTION ABOUT SAID OTHER ROD AXIS; (C) ACTUATING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID ROD MEANS FOR ALTERNATIVELY ROTATING SAID CARRIAGE MEANS TO A FIRST AND SECOND POSITION. 